


the system's failed us

by screaminginternally



Category: Descendants (2015), The Isle of the Lost - Melissa de la Cruz
Genre: Ben is frustrated, Ben thinks on Auradon, Gen, Introspection, ben is a cinnamon roll, i love this silly movie, just wants what's best, this is my own headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-19
Updated: 2015-09-19
Packaged: 2018-04-21 11:48:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4828028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/screaminginternally/pseuds/screaminginternally
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The system sucks. We're gonna have to go outside the system."</p><p>Ben introspection.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the system's failed us

**Author's Note:**

> title comes from Daria, season 2, episode 1, 'Arts 'n' Crass'.

The view from his window was always one of Ben’s favourite things about his bedroom at his parent’s castle. It faced the ocean, overlooking the city, the bay, all the way out to the horizon, with the only blip on the clear line of sight being the edge of the Isle of the Lost.

 

The Isle.

 

The most notorious place in Auradon, the place that everyone feared, nevermind that the last time someone entered or exited the island was before Ben was even born. Everyone seemed to believe that the only thoughts that should be given to the place were ones of distain, or revulsion. Ben could respect that – after all, the villains on the island were called villains for a _reason_ – but Ben felt that there could be more to it than that.

 

His parents were insisting that he learn everything there is to know about the different kingdoms and lands that made up Auradon, but no-one would tell him very much about the Isle of the Lost, other than “Don’t go there, don’t think anyone there is capable of being good, don’t believe that any Villain is capable of being redeemed”.

Basically the same things he’d been hearing ever since he first learned exactly what the island was. He’d tried reading up on the subject, how the people were fed, their living conditions, the quality of life; but his father refused every question, every request of Ben’s to try and find out anything about it. He’d learned as much as he could about the other parts of the kingdom with his father’s blessing, but this was the one matter that he was constantly refuted on.

 

He’d had a session with the Royal Therapist today. A lot of people think that because someone is royal, they have no problems. That there was no stress, no expectations. That is a lie. And the therapist, an actual moron who believed that, was stupid enough to ask:

 

“Your life seems perfect, Ben. Your grades are impeccable, you’re captain of the Tourney team. You’re becoming King soon. What is it that you could possibly want, Your Highness?”

 

Ben seriously considered snarling for a few seconds there: “Could’ve sworn your job was to listen to my so-called “perfect-life’s” apparent problems, not comment on them.”

 

That dumbass had no idea.

 

He wants lots of things. He wants to not be the perfect boy in school. He wants to not be expected to be the perfect boy in school. He wants Chad not to be such a smarmy prick. He wants to not have the pressure of an entire school’s reputation resting on his skills as Captain.

 

He wants to be able to express his anger. His frustration. He wants to scream and yell and roar the way his father used to, the way Ben can tell he sort of misses. He doesn’t want to have the pressure of being King yet.

 

He wants to get a different opinion on the Isle that isn’t automatically against the people on it.

 

He wants to meet the children there. He wants to talk to people that aren’t royalty. He wants to hear more opinions other than the one he grew up with. He wants to express his opinions without having someone try to shut them down immediately. He wants to date a girl that doesn’t look at him like all there is to him is his crown, his throne, his family’s lineage.

 

Ben wonders sometimes, how many of the people he knows actually _know_ him.

 

He wants to be able to change the laws of Auradon. He doesn’t want to be King yet. He wants to be able to be treated as a kid, at least for a few more years. What moron creates a law that makes a sixteen-year-old have to be king? Doesn’t that seem to be really, really stupid? What if, in the future, some first-in-line for the throne is a raging lunatic? Who’s going to do something about it? People probably won’t toss the kid to the Isle of the Lost, because the kid would be considered a _future hero_ (note: sarcasm), until the kid is crowned, at which point everyone is screwed twelve ways to Saturday.

 

These are the thoughts that filter through Ben’s mind whenever people start talking about ‘inherent goodness’, or insist that there is nothing wrong with royalty, that they can’t have flaws or raise their own children to be less-than-stellar people.

 

(Just look at Chad Charming. Yes, he is Ben’s friend, but Ben isn’t unaware that last year, Chad was stringing along half the cheerleading squad to do his homework for him. Ben sometimes feels sorry for Cinderella, because wouldn’t she have taught Chad not to do that? Did she know? Did Chad hide it that well from her?)

 

Maybe some of what Ben is thinking is silly, but he doesn’t think that relying so much on ‘inherent goodness’ is a good way to run a potential dynasty.

 

His eyes keep scanning the horizon. The setting sun was burning the sky orange, with purple and indigo filling in the edges. The light glanced off the barrier surrounding the Isle of the Lost, seemingly filtering straight though the almost-permanent black cloud that hung over the island.

 

The Island.

His father had been telling him, that to prepare him for the trials of Kingship, Ben could make one royal Declaration that would be inacted in the months before his coronation, to teach Ben how the effects of his decisions will impact his rule.

 

Ben had figured out what his Declaration would be. He wanted to bring a handful of children from the Isle to Auradon Prep, to learn and grow, and probably even get a chance to become proper citizens of Auradon, instead of glorified prisoners on the Isle.

 

Ben knew that his parents wouldn’t agree, but he thought it was worth it.

 

If everyone else was right, and evil is inherent in people from birth, then they could send them back onto the Island. But, Ben thought that if they could teach the kids another way of thinking, maybe in the future the Isle would be redundant. Maybe they could get rid of it all together.

 

 _Besides_ , Ben thought as he turned to get dressed for dinner, _how much trouble could four kids cause? They won’t have some nefarious scheme thought up upon arrival, right?_

 

**Author's Note:**

> I have so many feelings and thoughts about this movie. What is the system of government? How is a King who is elected have a child who inherits? Who came up with the stupid rule that a sixteen year old should rule? sixteen year olds are dumbasses. (I definitely was)
> 
> Also, I know Ben is, like, everything good in the world, precious cinnamon roll, etc. BUT. I also like to think that there's a lot of frustration at the laws, and the way his world works. He strikes me as the kind of person who *is* genuinely nice, but is also really annoyed and sarcastic in his head.


End file.
